2012 PR People Awards: Digital Communications Leader of the Year

Winner: Evan Kraus

Executive Vice President, APCO Worldwide

Although his particular area of specialty is clearly in the online space, Evan Kraus is a truly gifted corporate reputation strategist. He has led corporate reputation campaigns for several of the world's leading brands—from the initial new business pitch to designing strategy to overseeing implementation and achieving the clients' objective. This skill has served him well as the leader of APCO Online.

In 2011, Kraus was a crucial member of APCO's senior team responsible for Sprint's successful campaign to oppose AT&T's proposed acquisition of T-Mobile. The social media-driven grassroots campaign that APCO designed out-maneuvered the immense resources of a lobbying giant, and is a leading example of the innovative online campaign that is radically redefining traditional advocacy models. APCO helped Sprint launch the No Takeover Project—a partnership of leading privacy and consumer rights organizations—to educate consumers about the negative impact of the proposed merger.

The No Takeover Project website and social media platforms, which Kraus's team built, drove organic, grassroots support around the country. The campaign led to earned media in 25 key publications; 18 radio interviews across five states; more than 70,000 Facebook supporters; tens of thousands of likes, comments, retweets and Facebook messages; and more than 10,000 letters to members of Congress, attorneys general and governors. —Scott Van Camp